How Indoor Air Quality Affects Your Home

Indoor air quality is central to your household’s health. Were you aware that the air inside the average home is much more polluted than outdoor air? It is—about five times more. In fact, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has placed indoor air pollution as one of the top five environmental dangers. Mold, pollen, pet dander, radon and even formaldehyde are commonly found inside homes.

Humidity is also a concern when it comes to indoor air quality. Air that is too humid or too dry can have unpleasant effects on your health and damage your home. Let’s take a look at three of the ways WM J Kraus & Son can help you improve the indoor air quality in your Keokuk home.

A Clean System is the First Step to Good Indoor Air Quality A dirty HVAC system can harbor and circulate allergens throughout your house. Your first line of defense is to make sure your system is kept clean and well maintained. The easiest thing you can do is assess your air filter consistently and replace it when it becomes dirty. In many households, the air filter needs to be changed every two or three months, but WM J Kraus & Son recommends that you check them every month—especially if you have indoor air quality problems. Annual furnace, heat pump and/or air conditioner maintenance is also important. Your technician will make sure your system is clean and not circulating dust and debris through your Keokuk home.

Enlist the Help of an Air Purifier An air purifier can help improve indoor air quality and offer some relief from seasonal and indoor allergies. For optimal allergy control, look for an air purifier that filters out at least 95 percent of particles as small as .3 micron (a micron is one-thousandth of a millimeter). Regardless of whether allergies are an issue with any one in your home, filtering out pollutants is significant. The EPA has stated that the long-term effects of poor indoor air quality include potentially debilitating or deadly respiratory and heart diseases and cancer (https://www.epa.gov/indoor-air-quality-iaq/introduction-indoor-air-quality). A good air purifier, like the Lennox® PureAirTM, will remove 90 percent of germs and bacteria from your home—down to .01 micron.

Another way an air purifier can make your home more comfortable is by removing household odors. While not as severe as pollutants and germs, bad odors are typically unwelcome in people’s homes. Odors from things like pets, cooking, and sports gear can leave your house smelling unclean. Cleaning your air with an air purifier is a healthier way to remove these odors than trying to conceal it. Cleaning products, air sprays and scented candles may actually pollute your indoor air more. The right air purifier will destroy household odors, leaving you with clean, healthy air.

Control Humidity for Health The EPA advises maintaining your indoor relative humidity between 30 and 50 percent. Dry air can cause health problems like upper-respiratory issues, dry throat and nose, and itchy skin. Don’t forget that viruses generally thrive in dry air, and dry air is known to intensify symptoms for allergy and asthma sufferers. And, chances are likely that your home’s air is too dry—the average heated home has a relative humidity between 13 and 16 percent during the winter. That’s drier than the world’s driest deserts! So what can should you do?

A whole home humidifier can offer up to 50 percent more humidity than portable humidifiers. Plus, you don’t have to constantly adjust most models—just program in your desired humidity and you’re ready to go. Proper humidity levels will not only help keep everyone in your home in good health, but they can help guard your home from damages caused by dry airlike shrinking and cracking wood. What’s even better is that humid air feels warmer, so with a whole home humidifier on board, you could set your thermostat a little lower to save on energy bills without sacrificing comfort.

These are just a sampling of the ways WM J Kraus & Son can help you increase your indoor air quality. Call us at [[phonenumber]] to find out even more options.

Lennox was founded to offer some of the most long-lasting, reliable HVAC systems in the field while providing the best service and quality for customers. WM J Kraus & Son in Keokuk is no different, with our on-going dedication to your comfort and commitment to the community. We strive to be the best at what we do so you can always be comfortable, and know you can always count on us. Give us a shout at 319-229-2318 or schedule an appointment with us so we can help you achieve whole home comfort.